A psalm of David. A penitential psalm. “The sinners prayer.” For occasion see 2 Sam. 12:1-15.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.

v.1-2 David confesses his sin to God and asks for mercy so that God might “blot out” his sin.
David had broken 2 commandments (6, 7). See 2 Sam. 11.
v.4-6 David says his sin is ever before him. Only God can cleanse us from our sin. The psalmist desires deliverance from his guilt.

6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

v.7-12 Petition for forgiveness (and a new heart).
v.12-15 Vow to teach others about God’s forgiveness.
v.16-17 David acknowledges that God desires a broken and contrite heart. (More than just ritual sacrifices — it is the inner relationship with God that matters.)
v.18-19 Final petition for God to bless Zion, then God can delight in right sacrifices.

This psalm is a good place to start if you are experiencing guilt or distance from God. No sin is too great to be forgiven! But while we receive forgiveness, the earthly consequences of the sin are still present. Right conduct in our lives comes from a clean heart. Confess your sin to God — our God is an awesome God and he will have mercy and forgive you (1 John 1:9).

Read Psalm 51

A psalm of Asaph. God brings charges against his people.

v.1-2 God speaks:

1 The Mighty One, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.

v.3-6 God himself will judge the people. (Isa. 3:13)
v.7-15 God wants his people to keep their covenant, (empty) sacrifices are not enough.
v.16-21 God lays out his charges against the wicked.
v.22-23 Admonishment to offer thanksgiving to God.

23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!

God wants a faithful and righteous people, not empty religion. God will judge his people for their sin. Selah.

Read Psalm 50

A wisdom psalm for instruction. Riches won’t get you to heaven (the futility of wealth).

v.1-4 Call for all peoples (rich and poor) to listen (those who live in this world that is passing away).
v.5-9 Why should I fear the wicked all around. Their riches can’t buy forgiveness for sin. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).
v.10-12 Both the wise and the wicked die.

12 Man in his pomp will not remain;
he is like the beasts that perish.

See also Luke 16:19-31
v.13-15 The wicked will go to Sheol but the power of God will ransom the righteous.
v.16-20 The rich will take nothing with them when they die (see also Luke 12:16-21).

20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Read Psalm 49

A song. The city of our God! A worship psalm.

v.1-3 The city of our God (Zion).
“the joy of all the earth” — See Isa. 2:1-4
v.4-7 The kings scatter in panic (Because of the presence of God). They are destroyed.
v.8 The eternal security of Zion.
v.9-11 God is worthy of praise.
v.12-14 Tell future generations about God.
“He will guide us forever.” — The Holy Spirit is our constant guide.

Read Psalm 48

A kingship psalm. Sing praises to God, sing praises! God is praised and worshiped as king over all the earth. This may refer to the millennial kingdom.

v.1-2 Praise to God who is to be feared.

1 Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

v.3-4 The psalmist recalls past military victories attributed to God. Selah.
v.5-7 Sing praises to God.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

v.8-9 God, highly exalted, reigns over the nations.
“God sits on his holy throne.” — See Isa. 6:1-9

Read Psalm 47

A song. A hymn of praise.

God is our fortress. The main theme is repeated 3 times (v.1, 7, 11).

v.1-3 God is our refuge in natural disasters. Selah.

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal. — Martin Luther

v.4-7 God’s protection of his holy city (The City of God). Selah.
“God is within her, she will not fall” (v.5a, NIV)
The City of God — See Rev.21:10

v.8-11 God is sovereign over the nations. Selah.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”

God’s power is complete and his ultimate victory certain. Though creation itself may dissolve back into chaos, we have no need to fear.

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Read Psalm 46

A love song celebrating the king’s marriage. A messianic psalm picturing the 2^nd coming of Christ.

v.1 The poet’s introduction generating a sense of excitement about what is to follow. “Beautiful words stir my heart.” (v.1a, NLT)
v.2-5 The psalmists addresses the king and praises his military victories.
v.6-9 God has blessed the king.
v.10-15 The psalmist addresses the bride and tells her to be loyal to the king
v.16-17 Prediction of royal offspring.

The poem is applied to Christ in Heb. 1:8-9 with the church as his bride (Eph. 5:25-32).

Read Psalm 45

A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A communal lament.

The psalmist pleas: come to our help!! The setting seems to be in the exile and dispersion of Israel.

v.1-8 The psalmist recalls God’s help in the past. Selah.
God choose Israel. (See Deut. 4:37-38) He went with them in their battles. (See Josh. 1:9)
v.9-16 But now you have rejected us. We are defeated. God is portrayed as the cause of all their woes.
v.17-22 We have remained faithful to our God; but, “We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” The community claims to be innocent (although other parts of the Old Testament seem to witness to their fault). It seems apparent that the psalm is pointing to the fact that the people of God endure undeserved suffering. “Yet for your sake we face death all day long” (v.22, NIV).
v.23-26 Petition for God to deliver. “Wake up! … Rise up; come to our help!” They express the hope that God will set things right.

Read Psalm 44

This is a continuation of one Psalm (42-43 combined).

The godly remnant calls on God to act on their behalf. The deceitful man is the Antichrist (TTB).

v.1-2 The psalmist asks for vindication from a deceitful man.
v.3-4 “Send out your light and truth” (and let them lead me)
Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
v.5 refrain

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

Read Psalm 43

A Maskil of the sons of Korah. Psalms 42 and 43 are a single psalm with 3 movements ending in a common refrain (42:5, 42:11, 43:5).

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

v.42:1-5 The psalmist “thirsts” for God as he remembers days past.

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.

v.42:6-11 The psalmist (who is depressed) laments his separation from God (or the temple in Jerusalem) as he is tormented by oppressors but hopes in God for restoration.

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

This beautiful psalm gives us a picture of the godly remnant in the great tribulation period.

Read Psalm 42